In the last course I took with Silver Sneakers, this topic caught my attention — even though we’ve already been practicing it in our classes, I feel it’s important to explain it in more detail: the “second heart” of the body.

Yes, you read that right. We have a second heart — and although it doesn’t beat inside the chest, it works tirelessly every time we walk, climb stairs, or move our feet rhythmically during Yoga or SMART Fitness classes. It’s our calf muscles, which play a vital role in keeping our circulatory system healthy and our main heart happier.

🩸 A heart you can’t see, but can feel
As a fitness instructor and movement therapist, I know well the importance of the heart we all visualize — that powerful organ that pumps oxygenated blood throughout the body. But we rarely talk about what happens on the return trip — when the blood has already delivered oxygen and nutrients and needs to travel back to the heart to recharge.

Here’s where the second heart comes in: the feet, ankles, and calves.
Every time you move your legs, walk, lift your heels, or simply swing your feet while sitting, these muscles help push blood upward, fighting against gravity to return it to the heart.

This constant movement — this “natural pump” that we activate without thinking — is what physiology calls the veno-muscular pump, or calf pump. And its function is so essential that when it stops for too long, the whole body feels it: legs swell, get tired, cramps appear, and the heart has to work twice as hard.

🦶 The magic behind movement: how the calf pump works
Each step, each foot movement, creates a push that drives blood from the heel to the toes. This shift generates enough pressure for blood to move from the ankle up to the calves.

When the calf muscles contract — as they do when walking, lifting your heels, or even balancing — they squeeze the veins and push the blood upward toward the heart.

And here’s the brilliant part:
One-way valves inside the veins prevent blood from flowing back down.
Every muscle contraction acts like a mini pump sending life upward.
The more movement, the more efficient the venous return — and the better oxygenated your entire body becomes.
So, when I say in class, “Move those ankles!” or “Up and down with those heels!”, I’m not just talking about coordination or balance — we’re literally giving your heart an internal massage.

💪 Strong calves, happy heart
A study published in The Journal of Biomechanics (2014) found that people with chronic heart failure had smaller calf muscles than those with good cardiovascular health.

Another study, published in Geriatrics Gerontology, observed a direct correlation between calf circumference and the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) — which measures 10-year heart disease risk. In other words: strong calves can be a sign of a strong heart.

And it’s not about aesthetics — it’s pure physiology.

Every centimeter of muscle in your legs represents pumping power, oxygen flow, vitality, and longevity.

🛑 The danger of a sedentary lifestyle: when the pump shuts off
When we spend too much time sitting or still, the calf pump shuts down.
Blood return to the heart slows, venous valves weaken, and blood can begin to pool in the legs.

This can cause:

• Swelling or heaviness in the legs

• Pain or nighttime cramps

• Varicose veins

• And in severe cases, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition in which clots form that can become life-threatening.
  As we age, this risk increases — but so does our wisdom to prevent it through conscious movement.
  In fact, moving your legs several times a day, walking, doing heel-toe exercises, or even balancing on one leg for 30 seconds are simple and powerful ways to activate your second heart.

🌿 Simple exercises to activate your “second heart”
These movements we do in class don’t just strengthen muscles — they keep your circulation active:

• Toe and heel raises: Sitting or standing, lift your toes and then your heels. Do it 15–20 times, several times a day.

• Walking on tiptoes and heels: Strengthens foot muscles and stimulates blood flow.

• Calf raises: Stand with feet hip-width apart, slowly rise onto your toes, then lower. Repeat 10–15 times.

• Light marching or walking in place: Perfect while watching TV or cooking. Every step counts.

• Massage or roller: Using a roller or ball under your feet improves circulation and releases tension.

💖 A heart that works as a team
The beauty of the human body is that everything is connected. The heart can’t do it all alone — it needs the support of your legs, your breath, and your willingness to move. That’s why every time you join my classes and we do rhythmic movements, you’re not only training balance or strength — you’re helping your heart beat with more ease.

True wellness isn’t about having more muscle or less fat, but about having lively circulation, a body in motion, and a mind grateful for every step it can take.

🧘♀️ In summary
The “second heart” reminds us that movement is medicine. That there’s no age limit to improving circulatory health. And that with every muscular contraction in your calves, you’re sending a message of life and energy to the heart that keeps you here — breathing and enjoying.

So next time I say in class:
“Let’s go with those heel lifts — your heart will thank you!”
…now you know why. 💓

Did you enjoy learning about your second heart?
💬 Tell me in the blog comments if you’d heard this term before and how your legs feel after class. See you in the next SMART Fitness and Yoga en Español session — where we keep strengthening the body, the mind, and… both hearts.